There are conventional attachments, which are used while they are attached to controllers. When such an attachment is used while it is attached to a controller, a strap is sometimes fastened to the controller (or to the attachment).
When a strap is fastened to a controller, it is desirable that it is easy to remove the strap.
Thus, the present application discloses an attachment from which a strap can be removed easily, and a control system including the same.
(1)
An example attachment described herein is attachable to a game controller including a controller-side slide portion that includes a controller-side first operation button and a controller-side second operation button. The attachment includes a strap, an attachment-side slide portion, a stopper portion, a lock portion, an attachment-side first operation button and an attachment-side second operation button.
The attachment-side slide portion is on a first surface of the attachment, the attachment-side slide portion having a first side of a center of the attachment-side slide portion and a second side of the center of the attachment-side slide portion opposite to each other in a predetermined slide direction, wherein the attachment-side slide portion is configured to slidably engage with the controller-side slide portion in the slide direction, and wherein the controller-side slide portion is insertable into the attachment-side slide portion from the first side. The stopper portion is on the second side of the center of the attachment-side slide portion and configured to limit a slide movement, in an insertion direction, of the controller-side slide portion which has been inserted from the first side of the attachment-side slide portion. The lock portion is configured to resist the slide movement, in a removal direction opposite to the insertion direction, while the slide movement of the controller-side slide portion is substantially limited by the stopper portion. The attachment-side first operation button is on a second surface on a reverse side from the first surface. The attachment-side second operation button is on the second surface. The attachment-side first operation button includes a first actuation portion configured to move from a first position to a second position, thereby pressing the controller-side first operation button, in response to an operation of pressing the attachment-side first operation button. The attachment-side second operation button includes a second actuation portion configured to move from a third position to a fourth position, thereby pressing the controller-side second operation button, in response to an operation of pressing the attachment-side second operation button.
(2)
The attachment further may include a strap anchor to which the strap can be fastened. The strap anchor is on a portion of the attachment which is on the same side of a center of the attachment in the slide direction as the first side.
(3)
The lock portion may be on the second side of the center of the attachment-side slide portion, and have a shape configured to engage with a projection on the game controller while the slide movement of the controller-side slide portion is substantially limited by the stopper portion.
(4)
The attachment-side slide portion may include a bottom surface, two side surfaces and two opposing portions. The bottom surface is substantially parallel to the slide direction. The two side surfaces are each substantially parallel to the slide direction and extend from opposite sides of the bottom surface. The two opposing portions extend from the two side surfaces, respectively, and each have a surface opposing the bottom surface. The lock portion is part of each of the two opposing portions.
(5)
The lock portion may include a contact surface with which a surface of the projection that is facing the first side is in contact while the slide movement of the controller-side slide portion is substantially limited by the stopper portion. The contact surface may be part of a boundary of a gap between the two opposing portions that gradually narrows toward the first side.
(6)
The lock portion may include a projection on the first side of the center of the attachment-side slide portion, and the projection is configured to engage with the controller-side slide portion while the slide movement is substantially limited by the stopper portion.
(7)
The projection may include a surface on the first side and sloped so that a height of the surface relative to the first side gradually decreases toward the first side.
(8)
The projection may be movable between a fifth position and a sixth position. The projection in the fifth position protrudes more than the projection in the sixth position, thereby engaging with the controller-side slide portion while the slide movement is substantially limited by the stopper portion. The attachment may further include an operation section movable between a seventh position and an eighth position through an operation by a user. The operation section in the seventh position limits movement of the projection from the fifth position to the sixth position, and the operation section in the eighth position allows the projection to move from the fifth position to the sixth position.
(9)
A direction of movement of the projection from the fifth position to the sixth position may be substantially perpendicular to a direction of movement of the operation section from the seventh position to the eighth position. The operation section in the seventh position may be in contact with the projection in the fifth position, thereby limiting the movement of the projection from the fifth position to the sixth position, and the operation section in the eighth position may not be in contact with the projection in the fifth position.
(10)
The attachment-side slide portion may be a rail member that extends along the slide direction.
(11)
The attachment-side slide portion may be metal.
(12)
The attachment-side slide portion may include a bottom surface, two side surfaces and two opposing portions. The bottom surface is substantially parallel to the slide direction. The two side surfaces are each substantially parallel to the slide direction and extend from opposite sides of the bottom surface. The two opposing portions extend from the two side surfaces, respectively, and each have a surface opposing the bottom surface. The end portions of the two opposing portions on the first side may be tapered so that a gap therebetween gradually increases toward a distal end.
(13)
The attachment may further include an elastic member. The elastic member is on a bottom surface of the attachment-side slide portion, wherein the elastic member is configured to apply a force, in a direction away from the bottom surface, on the controller-side slide portion while the slide movement is substantially limited by the stopper portion.
(14)
The elastic member may be on the second side of the center of the attachment-side slide portion.
(15)
An area of an operation surface of the attachment-side first operation button may be larger than an area of the controller-side first operation button.
(16)
A tip of the first actuation portion may have a curved surface.
(17)
The first actuation portion may have a cross-shaped cross section along a plane perpendicular to a direction of movement from the first position to the second position.
(18)
Opposite end portions of the second surface in the slide direction may each be a rounded curved surface.
(19)
A light-receiving port may be on a bottom surface of the attachment-side slide portion. A light-exiting port may be on a surface of the attachment different from the bottom surface of the attachment-side slide portion. The attachment may include a lightguide portion configured to guide light incident upon the light-receiving port to the light-exiting port.
(20)
The light-exiting port may be on the second surface.
(21)
The light-exiting port may be on the second surface between the attachment-side first operation button and the attachment-side second operation button.
(22)
Another example attachment described herein is attachable to a game controller including a controller-side slide portion that includes a controller-side operation button. The attachment includes an attachment-side slide portion and an attachment-side operation button. The attachment-side slide portion is on a first surface of the attachment, the attachment-side slide portion having a first side of a center of the attachment-side slide portion and a second side of the center of the attachment-side slide portion opposite to each other in a predetermined slide direction, wherein the attachment-side slide portion is configured to slidably engage with the controller-side slide portion in the slide direction, and wherein the controller-side slide portion is insertable into the attachment-side slide portion from the first side. The attachment-side first operation button on a second surface on a reverse side from the first surface. The attachment-side first operation button includes an actuation portion. The actuation portion is configured to move from a first position to a second position, thereby pressing the controller-side operation button, in response to a operation of pressing the attachment-side operation button.
(23)
The attachment may further include a strap anchor to which a strap can be fastened.
(24)
The strap anchor may be on a portion of the attachment which is on the same side of a center of the attachment in the slide direction as the first side.
(25)
Another example attachment described herein is attachable to a game controller including a controller-side slide portion. The attachment includes an attachment-side slide portion, a stopper portion and a strap anchor. The attachment-side slide portion is on a first surface of the attachment, the attachment-side slide portion having a first side of a center of the attachment-side slide portion and a second side of the center of the attachment-side slide portion opposite to each other in a predetermined slide direction, wherein the attachment-side slide portion is configured to slidably engage with the controller-side slide portion in the slide direction, and wherein the controller-side slide portion is insertable into the attachment-side slide portion from the first side. The stopper portion is on the second side of the center of the attachment-side slide portion and configured to limit a slide movement, in an insertion direction, of the controller-side slide portion which has been inserted from the first side of the attachment-side slide portion. The strap anchor is on a portion of the attachment which is on the same side of the center of the attachment in the slide direction as the first side, wherein a strap can be fastened to the strap anchor.
(26)
The attachment may further include a housing with a hole. The strap anchor may be a shaft inside the housing. The attachment may further include a strap. The strap is fastened to the shaft and extends out of the housing through the hole.
Note that the present specification also discloses an example control system including the attachment described above (e.g., a control system including the attachment described above, and a game controller to which the attachment can be attached).
With the attachment and the control system described above, it is easy to remove the strap from the game controller.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.